Once Upon a December
by Fate's Princess
Summary: Kagome is a peasant girl in the feudal times. Her entire family is dead and she was left to wander the land all alone. One day, she is saved from a hungry demon by Sesshoumaru. What will happen between them?
1. Chapter 1

So, have you guys seen the movie Anastasia? I love that movie! So, I was listening to the song Once upon a December from it, and came up with the idea for this new**_ Kagome/Sesshoumaru_** story. Enjoy...

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Chapter 1 - **Once Upon a December**

On this darkened night, the wind howled at the moon in the sky. It was a bright full moon, larger than ever before. The stars illuminated the sky, each glimmering at its own speed, unnoticed by most. Then, from the heavens, came gods greatest gift. A small snowflake floated down towards the ground like a light feather. It swayed back and forth in its own enchanting rhythm. Then, gracefully, it landed on the damp ground. It had a certain glow to it, for nothing in this dark night shone as it did. God's greatest gift, and his greatest wrong. This harmless thing did more damage than most thought it could. In the darkness of night, it swept through, covering the earth in its gentle blanket of ice. It killed anything unprotected in its path. Anything unaware of the great horrors it brought along with it.

A trail of her footsteps could be seen in the light snow behind her. She walked barefoot on this dark cold night. Wearing nothing but a grungy kimono, she continued walking, shivering. Around her in this unknown forest, life came to an end. Through her young eyes, she saw life just as it was. Frail and fragile... incomplete. The once bright green trees now held on to their last bit of life. As she looked up, she noticed one amber leaf. It was the last one left on this great tree. It swayed back and forth in the gentle chilly wind. Covered in white snow, it remained hidden from the world. As the wind blew harder, it floated down to the ground just as the snow once had. It landed in front of her bare feet. Stiff. Unmoving. She stopped in her tracks and stared down at the once sign of life. Picking it up, it withered away in her small hands. Now crumbled into little pieces, it flew away with the wind once again. Far, far away to lands unknown by man itself.

She came to a small stream as she walked through the foreign forest. It glistened a bright silver color as the rays of the moonlight came down upon it. As she stared at it, past memories came to mind. Lalala... lalala...lalalalalala, She began to hum a gentle melody. Walking over to the stream, she crouched down in front of it. In the stream, she stared at her reflection. Bright blue eyes, ebony black hair. With one gently movement, she swiped her hand through her reflection. It was now misshaped from the water ripples. Her once clear blue eyes were now in the wrong places. She cupped her hands and dipped them in the freezing water. The cold no longer did any harm to her. Her body was numb, only there for show. It was as if she was a part of the living dead. Through her eyes, she watched the world as it changed, yet she felt nothing. She was frozen in time as all around her, the world moved on.

She brought her hands up to her lips and drank the cool water. It felt so refreshing as it passed down through her throat into her dry body. And seconds after, she knew this refreshing feeling would disappear as it always had the previous times. Nothing seemed to taste or look as good as it once had...Once upon a time. She dipped her hands in the water and drank again, and again, hoping to keep this feeling as long as she could. Every now and then, the water escaped the grasps of her lips and slid down her throat onto her chest and to the material of her clothing. Tingling her numb skin as it did. She stared at her reflection once again. This person who looked back at her, she did not know. It was not the same girl that once used to be full of joy. That once, used to love life and all the gifts of the world. Once upon a time, this girl, was alive.

Unnoticed by her, she was being closely watched by the most unlikely being of them all. Golden eyes shimmered as the bright moonlight came down upon them. A blue crescent moon on his forehead and two maroon strips on both sides of his cheeks. He had long silver hair, almost as soft as silk. It went down past his lower back, almost reaching the floor. He was dressed all in white, a red flower design on the left shoulder of his outfit. Around his right shoulder, hung what seemed to be a furry scarf. Once fully extended, it was taller than he was. His eyes rested upon her small figure as she hummed a soft melody. It was soothing, yet at the same time had an eerie feel to it. He had never heard such a melody in all his years of living. For someone who had lived as long as he, she was a very strange sight. She seemed to be completely alone. All the more strange. This girl, she could not possibly be over seventeen years of age. 'Alone, at night in this dangerous forest, how foolish of her.' He thought.

She continued humming this strange melody. And then, to his surprise, her gentle voice reached his demon ears.

"_Dancing bears,_

_Painted wings,_

_Things I almost remember,_

_And a song someone sings_

_Once upon a December._"

He listened closely to the words she sung. It must be the words which go along with the melody. She stood up from her crouching position and stepped into the ice cold water, splashing water all over her once dry clothes.

"_Someone holds me safe and warm._

_Horses prance through a silver storm._

_Figures dancing gracefully_

_Across my memory..."_

She spun around in a complete circle. Her hair danced in the gentle breeze. He watched as she closed her eyes and began to hum the melody once again. Her actions had deeply amused him, but surely he thought she was mad. This truly was a strange girl. She opened her eyes and stepped out from the water. She grasped onto her shoulders tightly.

"_Someone holds me safe and warm._

_Horses prance through a silver storm._

_Figures dancing gracefully_

_Across my memory..."_

She extended her hands out to her sides and spun around once again. Endlessly. A soft giggle escaped through her rose colored lips.

"_Far away, long ago,_

_Glowing dim as an ember,_

_Things my heart _

_Used to know,_

_Things it yearns to remember..."_

The girl stopped all movement and stared up to the night sky. She stared straight at the full moon in the sky. The snowflakes came down upon her, forming a shield around her. Most he knew would have been shivering at this point, but not she. She stood stiff, staring.

"_And a song_

_Someone sings_

_Once upon a December..."_

The demons usual grim face now seemed to be confused. Why had she sung such a sad song? Was it because she was alone? Humans were such a confusing species to him. For over nine hundred years, he had managed to keep at a safe distance away from them. Never did he want to get caught up in things the way his father had. It disgusted him to just think of it. To give up ones life, all positions of power, and dignity... for a girl, human non the less, how foolish. And on that same night which he had spoken to his father, he promised himself he would never walk the same path.

She sighed. This stream she stood at had brought back so many memories. Years ago during the winter time, her mother had taught her this same song. Every night before she slept, her mother would sing it to her, rocking her to sleep. Never had these words been able to escape her thoughts, or its precious melody. It's the one thing she still had to remember her mother with. In these dark and cold days, it was the only thing which ever brought joy to her. The only thing that brought a smile to her face. This song which had been sung... once upon a December.

On the other side of the stream, the sound of a cracking stick pierced through her thoughts. She jerked her head over in its direction, startled by the sudden noise. It was too dark for her too see anything. She stood still, unable to move. Afraid of whatever it was which stood on the other side of this cool spring. 'How Ironic.' Memories of _that night_ drifted through her head. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, it was not best to be thinking of such things at this time.

He could sense a lower level demon approaching this odd girl quickly. He came from the other side of the stream. To him, it smelt like a bear demon. The most barbarian of them all.

"Hello?" The girl called out to whatever may be heading in her direction. If she were smart, she would take cover and hide. If she were smart, she would remain silent. Unfourtanetly, all she could do was stand and await whatever came for her.

Out from the forest on the other side, a large silhouette came into view. As it stepped into the rays of the moonlight, the girl gasped. Bright red eyes and fangs covered in blood. It's entire body was covered in fur. It looked greasy and murky. His claws, much like his fangs, covered in blood. Dry blood. Who knows how long it could have been there. And his bright red eyes, what she feared the most, looked full of hunger. And there she was, like a sitting duck. She would become its supper. It growled at her.

The demon watched from afar as the scent of fear filled the air. This foolish girl would not move. She stood still and awaited her demise as the bear approached. He'd sit back and watch, what more could he do? Surely, he would not sink so low as to save a human. No, he decided. No. His eyes did not stray from her figure. The melody from before was stuck in his mind like a virus spreading, malevolently. He grimaced in discontent. This pitiful bear-demon, it was so weak. It did not deserve the right to live. But, that would mean he would be saving this, dirty human's life. It did not matter to him, he needed to get rid of this pitiful excuse for a demon. He was the reason why demons were thought of so lowly these days. He and other lower level demons. Without another thought, he jumped down gracefully from the branch of the tree he stood on, watching.

The bear-demon walked through the water, coming closer and closer. Now, he was only a few feet away from her. She still stood, unable to move. Would this be the end? She detested demons like this one. These creatures had no heart. They had no mind, no ration of thought what so ever. All they ever thought of was death, blood, and power. Then again, she had to admit, there were some humans who were as heartless as these demons. They too, deserved the same names for they had tainted that which one could call... humanity. As the demon was about to attack, she did not close her eyes. She did not scream in fear. As scared as she was, she once promised herself she would meet death face on. For if she ever did die, she would want to know exactly what happened. If she did close her eyes, the next time they'd open, nothing would be the same. So many questions left unanswered. That is not what she wanted.

And then, a green light hit the bear-demon head on. It was sent flying backwards into the water, soon disintegrating into ashes and drifting away with the current. She stood still, eyes wide. What just happened? She had not closed her eyes, yet she still missed the world as it went by. Turning around, she found herself face to face to something she did not expect. Was it another human? No. He had markings on his face, it was a demon. He was not like the one that had just tried to attack her however. He did not seem as bloodthirsty.

He defeated the demon and now he stood staring at this strange girl. She looked normal enough on the outside, but from what he had seen, he knew better. Her eyes were a bright sky blue. It was as if day itself was trapped inside of her bright eyes. Her expression was a surprised one to his shock, and not one of fear as most got around him. His golden eyes did not stray from her blue ones. And there they stood, human and demon. Neither knew the others name, or who they truly were. And so he turned and began to walk away into the forest. Cloaked by the darkness of the night, he disappeared from her sight.

Saved by a demon. That, she did not expect most of all. She thought they were all foul and heartless, yet this one had spared her. She knew nothing of him and was sure she had never met him before. One of the same kind who had once slain her mother had saved her. Would that be enough payment for the death of her mother? A life for a life? No. It was not enough to steer away her hate for all demons. She did not often use the word _hate_ for she thought it was rather strong, but this was the only exception. And now, she stood still by that same lonely stream.

Saved by a demon, once upon a December.

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alright! And this is the beginning of this story. Lemme know what you guys think

I would like to point out that I did not use their names for a reason. In the next chapter, they will meet and learn each others name. That is when I will start referring to them as Kagome and Sesshoumaru instead of **She and He.**

Also, I will further explain the story of what happened to her mother, and the song later on. And of course, why she is traveling all alone.

**Love,**

**Fate's Princess.**


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for all the reviews. Im glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter :)

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**Last Chapter - **He defeated the demon and now he stood staring at this strange girl. She looked normal enough on the outside, but from what he had seen, he knew better. Her eyes were a bright sky blue. It was as if day itself was trapped inside of her bright eyes. Her expression was a surprised one to his shock, and not one of fear as most got around him. His golden eyes did not stray from her blue ones. And there they stood, human and demon. Neither knew the others name, or who they truly were. And so he turned and began to walk away into the forest. Cloaked by the darkness of the night, he disappeared from her sight.

Saved by a demon. That, she did not expect most of all. She thought they were all foul and heartless, yet this one had spared her. She knew nothing of him and was sure she had never met him before. One of the same kind who had once slain her mother had saved her. Would that be enough payment for the death of her mother? A life for a life? No. It was not enough to steer away her hate for all demons. She did not often use the word _hate_ for she thought it was rather strong, but this was the only exception. And now, she stood still by that same lonely stream.

Saved by a demon, once upon a December.

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**Chapter 2 - Once Upon a December**

As she walked across the small stream, she felt the stinging sensation of the cold water upon her bare feet. Grimacing, she continued to walk straight ahead towards the mountains. There, she came across a small cave. It was not very deep or tall, but it would protect her from the cold of the night. This is how she had spent the last few years. Moving from village to village, sleeping where ever there was shelter. She had no home, she had no family. Her friends, they had probably forgotten her by now. And, if she were ever to come across one of them, surely they would not recognize the changed person which she was now.

Bending over, she walked inside the tiny cave and immediately sat down. It was rather cold inside the dark cave, almost as chilly as it was outside. Complete darkness, there was nothing that could be seen and nothing to see. She found she enjoyed darkness. It was the greatest shield of them all, protecting you from the eyes of even the greatest of men. It was soothing, almost relaxing in a way. Laying down on the damp floor of the abandoned cave, she closed her eyes.

Thoughts of the demon who had saved her drifted into her mind. He was so mysterious to her. She did not know his name, and that, she resented. She had to know who he was. Silver hair, and golden eyes. She wanted to know why he had saved her. A blue crescent moon, crest of royalty. At only one glimpse, he had left her completely dumbfounded. She sighed. It was unlikely they would ever cross paths again, but if they were to, she hoped all of her questions would be answered. The one thing that had not changed about her over the years, was her curiosity. She had always questioned everything in her sight. Even when she knew she was wrong, she continued to question endlessly. And, it had been that same trait that had almost cost her life itself many times before. It had been that same trait... that had caused her loved ones death.

Bringing her hands up to her pale face, she rubbed her shut eyes. So many unwanted thoughts were now drifting into her head. Fear, loud screams, blood, all reminders of that night. Was she really all right? It had been years, yet her soul was slowly dimming, her rational thought was almost completely gone, and her love of the world, of all things, it was not to be found. And then, there was the cure to this state of depression. That song that was sung once upon a December. She began to hum the same melody as before. It erased all the bad memories and brought out the good times. The fun days when her family was still together.

_Her father worked outside cutting lumber for the oncoming winter nights along with her little brother. She and her mother were inside, cooking many delicious things. The little girl watched as her mother slowly and carefully chopped the vegetables, symmetrically. With some, she made odd, yet cool shapes. The little girl giggled as she watched her mother cut one into a heart._

"_Kagome?"_

_The little girl sprung up from her seat on the wooden table. "Yes mama?"_

"_Come here and help me."_

_Nodding quickly, Kagome bounced up and down the entire way to where her mother stood. "What do I do?"_

_Her mother stopped cutting the vegetables and handed Kagome a long wooden spoon. She walked over to where a large black pot of what seemed to be porridge cooked over a small controlled fire._

"_I need you to keep stirring this for me, okay honey?"_

_Kagome smiled and nodded her head up and down. Her mother went back to her creative art of cutting vegetables. Kagome turned her attention towards the cooking porridge in front of her. She leaned over slightly and closed her eyes as the scent consumed her. It's smell was mouth watering. She stuck the wooden spoon inside of the porridge and held it with both hands. She began to stir in a complete circle, clockwise. She stuck her tongue out slightly as she concentrated to get the correct rhythm for this task. As she found it, she grinned in delight. Task completed._

"_Like this mama?"_

_Her mother covered her lips and chuckled as she watched her daughter. She always found it amusing the way Kagome concentrated so much on such simple tasks._

"_Yes honey, you're doing great."_

She soon found herself drifting off into another world. This world was truly perfect. Everything was as she had always wished it to be. She was no longer alone and lost. She had her father, brother, and mother with her. Was this heaven? Had she finally passed on to the world beyond? To become one of the radiant stars in the night sky? No. She knew this world was not real, but it did not matter. She grasped onto these memories as long as she could. They were her only valuables and if she were ever to forget them and leave them behind, she truly would be lost.

As she hummed the melody, it became softer and softer. Slower and slower. Soon, it could no longer be heard. The silence of the night emerged once again as she slept peacefully in the small cave. The snow outside became harder and harder. The winds picked up. All tracks of living life were erased with this vital blanket of crystals. The bare dark trees, were now covered in a layer of white. The grass, flowers, everything was dead. And this one living soul, who had grasped onto life longer than she thought was fair, slept in the middle of this dead world. Always expecting to wake up one day during spring in a field of flowers. To be greeted by her brother and father, to be held by her mother.

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Unlike her usual mornings, there was no chirping of birds to wake her anymore. No curious squirrels searching for food. There was nothing. All of these animals were still cuddled up in their nests hiding from the cold of this December. And, this December had been the coldest by far. Outside, the sun shone brightly in the middle of the sky. Even as this symbol of warmth illuminated the day, the cold had not dispatched. As Kagome stepped out from the protection of the damp cave, she clutched onto her shoulders and shivered. The humidity of the cave had overall made everything worse. The thin layers of clothing she wore could never compare to the wind on this day.

She walked slowly through the deep snow. It rose as high as her ankles. It seems as if the snow had fallen all night. Instead of melting as it should have, it flourished. Right now it sat, laughing at the weakness of the sun's rays. It advertised itself to be such a hot thing, yet could not bring down the invading snow. Her stomach growled in pure hunger. She had not had anything to eat since the previous morning. It was her usual routine to do so. Over the past years, she had thinned from the lack of nutrition. Usually, a fish per day got the job done. She really had nothing to complain about. She was not happy, far from it, yet she was grateful. For what? She did not know.

Searching up and down the small stream, she found no sign of life. There were no fish for her to feast on, and nothing for those fish, who had once been here, to feast on. All she found which resembled food, was a small bush of red berries. Picking one, she popped it into her mouth and chewed. It had a sweet-sour taste to it. Though it was not the most pleasant thing to eat, it would do. She sat down in front of the bush and picked the berries one by one. She laid them down on her lap as she continued to pick the berries. Then, folding the layer of her outfit up and wrapping it around her waist, she made a permanent basket for the berries. It would help her save them for the oncoming day of travel.

She was traveling to the closest village, in hope it would not be like the rest. The people of this era trusted no one. Everywhere she went, she was not welcome. And so, she had been forced to live in the wilderness, searching for a home. Hopefully, in the west, the people would be more welcoming. She had once heard that the lord of the west was a vicious demon, but she had stopped believing stories a long time ago. So what if he was a demon? Most human men also deserved the same name. And that's what she figured he was, a ruthless man.

For hours, she continued to walk towards the west, barefoot. Slowly, her eyes were becoming weary, and her legs shaky. If she fell asleep out here in the open she knew there was a chance she would not wake again. She was awaiting death, but for some reason, she would not let it come. There were many times when she could have just let herself wither up and die, but she didn't. She continued to push on to the unknown. To this ruthless world of hate. She was a weak girl, that much was true, but even now after so many years, her will was still strong. Even when there was nothing to live for, she continued to do so. Maybe she was searching for salvation itself. For proof, that there was such a thing as humanity. She would have believed such a thing existed years ago, but not anymore. And, until her search was completed, she would not give in. She would not give in to the darkness, to the sweet blanket of snow, to the forever land of dreams, as good as it sounded.

And then, as if it were her luck, a few yards away from her, stood a growling wolf. His eyes were a fiery red, and his mouth watered up in hunger. '_Crap!_' It seemed to her as if every other day, she was being attacked by _something_. Whether it be a demon or a bee, everything seemed to be after her. Was there some bounty in a foreign land on her head which she did not know of? She could barley see anymore and her legs were magically holding her up. Weaker than ever, yet, she did not feel like dying at this moment. She felt anger towards the wolf for appearing at such a time. Then, without another thought, she picked up a long stick which laid on the ground next to her. She held on to it tightly and readied herself for the attacking wolf. It took a few steps closer to her. Its fur was wet and mucky from the snow.

As he patrolled his lands, he smelt it. The smell of a wolf demon. Out of all the demons, he detested these the most. It was these same demons who had once taken away the life of an innocent little girl. He turned his head in the direction of the scent. His golden eyes locking on the path to take. He jumped from tree to tree, speed unmatched, ready to take down this wolf. His mission was to get rid of them all. He just wanted them dead. And what after this task was done? He did not know. But, until that time, there was always something to awake for in the mornings, just as there had been little over a hundred years ago. When he reached the location of the wolf demon, he was surprised at the sight in front of him. It was the same girl from the previous night. She held a stick in her hand, as if she were strong enough to take down the demon. '_Pitiful,_' he thought. He was amused however, and stood watching, awaiting the next action.

She thanked the grave of her father for teaching her how to hold and use a sword as a little girl. He always felt it was necessary for her to know how to defend herself. The wolf charged at her, still growling as it neared. Kagome squinted her eyes, and as the wolf jumped up, she swung with all her might. Not expecting the sudden attack, the wolf was sent flying backwards and hit a tree.

"_Kagome, come out here sweetie." A man's voice broke through the silence of dawn. _

_Stumbling as she walked out of the house, a small figure fell to her knees and quickly stood up again._ _She jogged over to where the man stood. He was tall, a giant to her. His eye's where the same color as hers, a sky blue. And his hair, blacker than black._

"_Yes, papa? Have I done anything wrong?" The young girl pondered the reason for this early meeting. _

"_No, no, not at all." He mused, "Actually, I think it's time you learn how to defend yourself."_

"_Defend myself?" She did not understand his concept._ _Everything was fine to her as it was. Their entire neighborhood was full of familiar friendly faces. There was nothing to be worried of. "Whatever for?"_

_The girl's father laughed. His voice loud and deep. He knew his daughter wouldn't understand his ways at this moment, but that did not change the facts. It was a tough world, a very hard one indeed. His daughter was trapped inside the walls of this fantasy. It's a magical town of love. But, god only knew how much longer this peace would last. God only knew how much longer he himself had amongst his loved ones._

"_Trust me Kagome, this is for your own good." _

_He handed her a long wooden sword. It was almost as tall as she was. As she tried to lift it, she almost fell to the ground. Surely he must have been joking. There's no way she could even hold this sword. How did he expect her to defend herself with this?_

"_Now," he said, "hold it like this." He positioned her hands on the sword correctly and helped her lift it over her head. _

"_Good. Now, swing." Still grasping on to the sword, he helped her swing forward. Again, and Again, and Again. He was her support. Surely, she thought, without him she could not even hold it straight. _

_Without him. What would she ever do without his protection. Without his warmth?_

Kagome took a deep breath and fell to the ground. Her legs could no longer hold her up. Then, to her surprise, the wolf stood up once again. Obviously, its hunger was greater than its pain at this moment. It jumped at her once again. Unsure of what to do, Kagome stuck the stick out in front of her and closed her eyes. She heard the wolf cry out in pain and then, there was silence. Opening her eyes slowly, she noticed the once pure white snow was now tinted a crimson color. Was it her blood? Looking at her hands, she saw more blood. The stick had pierced the wolf in the chest, and now, it was truly dead. She pushed the demon off of her, it landed a few feet away.

To his shock, this weak girl had actually defeated the demon. She looked so fragile, so unable to defend herself just as she had the previous night. Her hair was greasy and her outfit was dirty. He could tell this girl had no family. He was immediately reminded of another little girl who had once faced the same problem. They resembled each other in so many ways, except their eyes. The little girl he had known had bright brown eyes. They were always full of joy, happiness, and laughter. She brought light into his world. This girl in front of him however, had dim blue eyes. They were full of grief, of death. She seemed to be stuck in a state of depression for reasons unknown to him. This bothered him, not knowing. Even if she was just a worthless human, the fact of confusion irked him.

She looked at her hands in shock. Her once pale skin was now covered in red blood. Her hands began to shake. She hated blood, she feared it. She stuck her hands in the snow, as if expecting it to melt and wash away this vital fluid. But no, it still remained. Its as if it would never leave. It would forever be a reminder of the fact the she had killed. Her hands were still shaky. The blood on them looked like the blood of _that night_. The blood of her own family. The blood, that had once been her mothers.

_She ran faster and faster, her feet aching. She was headed in the direction she had been at earlier today. Sweat rolled down the side of this little girls face. Her face was paler than usual. Her eyes were wide as if out of shock. And those same eyes that once held the morning sky in them, now held something darker. A certain fear that no one of her age should ever come to know. 'Please be okay. Please... please.'_

_As she reacher her destination, she stopped running. Her legs and hands were shaky. Panting, she searched for a certain someone. The person she had left here. The person who was not suppose to have been left. And, as she found that person, she was sure she was going to faint. Her skin could no longer turn a paler color. It truly seemed like she had seen a ghost. She walked slowly towards the figure._

_It laid on the floor, face down. And all around it, there was a pool of crimson liquid. She fell to her knees as she reached the figure. _

"_Mama?" She shoved her back and forth with her hands. "Mama?" She tried and tried to wake her, but her mother would not awake. _

"_Mama?" Her voice became louder, sharper._

_After a minute of no response, she decided to turn the figure over. As she did, her mouth fell open and her eyes became wider and wider by the second. And then, through the silence of the forest, a loud scream broke through. _

"_Ma...ma." She cried. Her eyes were now like waterfalls, falling freely. Her vision was blurred, and all of her senses stopped working._ _She did not feel the piercing cool of the wind, or the snow falling upon her head. She lifted her hands up from her mother and stared down at them. They were covered in a red liquid. Blood. Not just any blood, her mothers. The one person she had loved the most. The one person she would die without. That one person, that was now being buried in a grave of snow._

"_Im sorry mama.." Her voice was low and shaky. "He took me away from you. He.. he is the reason for this."_

_The little girl moved a few feet away from the figure. She grasped on to her knees and rocked back and forth as she stared at her mother in dis-belief. This couldn't be the end. It just couldn't._

"_Dancing bears,_

_Painted Wings,_

_Things I almost remember,_

_And a song someone sings_

_Once upon a December."_

_The words she sung could barley be heard through her tears._ _Through her loud sobs. With this song, she expected her mother to sit up and sing it along with her. The way she always had. Then, they would go home, and she would tuck her into bed. The way she always had._ _But as she continued to sing, the figure remained unmoving. Lifeless. _

She continued to rub her hands with the snow vigorously. It was slowly coming off. Slowly fading away onto the now bloody snow. And when it was gone, she finally took a breath. She lifted herself up from the snow, as painful as it was. She could not stop until she was somewhere safe. She took one step forward, then another, and another. As she continued to walk slowly however, she felt her consciousness slowly drifting away. She stumbled forward and immediately lost her balance. She fell down to the snow. Everything became white.

He continued to watch from far away as the girl began to walk. As she fell down in the snow. _She truly is as weak as she looks._ He awaited and awaited for her to stand up, only to fall, once again. His golden eyes were locked on her figure. It was slowly being covered in snow. Hidden from the rest of the world, never to be found again. Only he knew of its location. _What is she doing? Why does she not stand?_ He jumped down from his spot on the tree and began to walk towards the unmoving figure. He used his leg to turn her over to her front.

Her eyes were closed. Almost as if they had been glued down by some unseen force. Her lips were a light pink color, dry and chapped. Sesshoumaru grimaced at the scent coming off of her. The blood of a dead demon. _Foolish girl._ If she were to walk around like this, other wolfs would be upon her in no time. He should just let her die, she would eventually. _They...always do._ And he would have, he could have just left, but their resemblance was too uncanny. Looking down at the withering Figure on the ground, flashes of another girl came into mind. Sighing, he picked up the girl and began to walk away. He walked in the direction of the blowing wind. He shielded her from the cold.


	3. Chapter 3

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**Last Chapter -** He continued to watch from far away as the girl began to walk. As she fell down in the snow. _She truly is as weak as she looks._ He awaited and awaited for her to stand up once again, only to fall, once again. His golden eyes were locked on her figure. It was slowly being covered in snow. Hidden from the rest of the world, never to be found again. Only he knew of its location. _What is she doing? Why does she not stand?_ He jumped down from his spot on the tree and began to walk towards the unmoving figure. He used his leg to turn her over to her front.

Her eyes were closed. Almost as if they had been glued down by some unseen force. Her lips were a light pink color, dry and chapped. Sesshoumaru grimaced at the scent coming off of her. The blood of a dead demon. _Foolish girl._ If she were to walk around like this, other wolfs would be upon her in no time. He should just let her die, she would eventually. _They...always do._ And he would have, he could have just left, but their resemblance was too uncanny. Looking down at the withering Figure on the ground, flashes of another girl came into mind. Sighing, he picked up the girl and began to walk away. He walked in the direction of the blowing wind. He shielded her from the cold.

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**Chapter 3 - Once upon a December**

_She looked all around her, as if trying to see what it was her mother saw. Nothing. It was still the same place she had just been at. Trees all around them, and a beautiful lake. The sun was setting and could be seen vibrantly over the horizon. It shone down on the lake, making it appear a different color than what it truly was. The snow had just begun to fall. It was a sign. The beginning of winter. A new start._ _The snow would come down each year, silencing all it touched. Then, as if by magic, it was gone. And as it left, a new life arose. Colors more vibrant than before. Life, more alive, than ever before._ _She simply loved it, the power of the snow. The way it felt as it came down at her. She did not feel cold. Instead, she felt warm, to have been blessed by its pure touch. _

_Her mother grabbed her by the wrist, as if to catch her attention. Kagome looked up into her mother face. It was full of fear, full of horror. Never before had she seen her mother in such a state._

"_Listen to me Kagome!" Her voice strong and loud. It was not the same loving voice she had always shown her._

"_You have to go! Get out of here, NOW!" _

"_But, mama..." She did not understand. She knew she was not suppose to be here, but it wasn't that bad, really it wasn't. Was it just that her mother didn't want her to be alone? Yes, that had to be the answer. Her mother did often worry about her too much. But, she was already eleven years old, and such a grown woman. Her mother should not worry too much._

"_KAGOME!" Her mother screamed at her in a way she never had before._

_Kagome gasped. This was not like her. What in the world had come over her? Was she possessed by some vile demon? Then, to her surprise, her mother pushed her into the bushes. She stumbled backwards, trying to catch her balance. It was no use. She fell down to the ground, hard. She scratched her hands and her legs. Looking at the scratches, her eyes became watery. _

_She was about to scream, about to cry, there was only one sight that silenced her. Out of nowhere, came a herd of demons. They were headed straight for her mother._ _Kagome's eyes widened. Did her mother just plan to stand there? To let herself be devoured_? _Her mother turned around and shouted something. It was not directed at Kagome however. It was directed at something behind her. Kagome turned to find a mysterious silhouette. Of what it was, she did not know. It came closer and closer to her. Walking slowly and cooly. Then, it picked her up, and threw her over its shoulder. Kagome kicked and screamed. She tried to free herself from the grasps of this being, but it was no use. _

"_Who are you?" She screamed at the person. "Put me down! Let me go!" She cried._

_The last sight she saw after being carried away, was the face of her mother. Tears falling down from her eyes. Rolling down her cheeks, and ending at her lips._

"_MAMA!" Kagome screamed. _

_Her mother just kept staring. She then spoke something, but Kagome could not hear. She tried to read her lips, but it was no use. Her mother turned around, and brought her hands out in front of her. Then, there was a light, and all became white._

She sprung up startled. Now awakened from her nightmares. It had been that same dream again. The reminder of that night, replaying itself over and over again. It had been her fault, she should have stayed. No, it had been _his_ fault. He should have let her be. Why did he take her? Why did he not help her mother. Kagome felt a sudden urge to scream. To rip out the strands of her hair, one by one. Anything that would condone the sudden rage she felt.

As she calmed herself, she realized where she was. Somewhere new. Somewhere unknown to her._ What happened?_ She tried to recall how she had gotten here. The last thing she could remember was a hungry wolf. Charging straight at her. And then... _'I...I... killed it.'_

She was now in a cave. It was not like the one she had spent the previous night in however. It was much more spacious. Much drier also. There was a small fire near where she laid. It crackled as it brought light into the dark cave. Looking outside, she realized everything was dark.Had she slept all day? As she went to stretch her hands, she found herself wrapped in something warm. It seemed to be a large peace of animal fur. A very fluffy one indeed. Where had she seen this before? It seemed so familiar.

She tried to stand from her current spot on the ground, but her legs were not yet recovered. Her body was still so weak. She was hungry, almost next to starving. Her brain was pounding in her head, screaming to be set free. This aching headache just made everything worse. And the berries she had picked earlier today, they were gone. She looked around the cave more intensely. Searching for something...someone...anything. But there was nothing. The only other presence was that of her shadow on the cave wall.Her shadow seemed so much stronger than she. It was reflected at least ten times her actual size. It seemed to be in power, to have control over everything. It had something, which she did not.

Using as much strength as she had left she crawled over to the entrance of the cave, bringing the fur along with her for warmth. She wanted to have a better look at her surroundings. Maybe there would be some sort of clue to where she was. More importantly, maybe there would be some sort of clue as to how she had gotten here in the first place.The sky outside shone like never before. There were hundreds, no, millions of stars outside tonight. And off to the side, the brightest thing in the sky. A full moon.It seemed so strange to her that there was only _one_ of these bright objects in the sky which could be so clearly seen. Stars were bright, but there were millions of them. The moon however, outshone the stars. Although it was just one, it proved to be brighter than all the others. Was this fact noticed by most? Did anyone actually recognize this bright symbol in the sky?_ Most_ did not.

She had once heard a story about the moon when she was a little girl. It was of a beautiful goddess who lived on the moon. She had long beautiful silver hair. Longer than all the land in the world. Longer than any river or ocean. Every strand of her hair, represented one person. There were some that were longer than others, some which shone more then others. But, they always came to fall out sooner or later. She was the goddess of death, she was the goddess of birth. She watched over all of her children from above, eternally. She brought aid to those who believed in her. To those who praised her. Kagome had believe once. Once upon a time, she had praised this all powerful being. Now, however, that was just a thing of the past. She had long ago lost all hope in her acts of chivalry. In her so rumored kindness. Where was this goddess when her father and brother died? Where was she when her mother was slaughtered? Where is she now? She's no where to be seen. Yet, kagome never could forget her story. Every look at the full moon was an eternal reminder. Every look at her reflection was an eternal reminder of a face she did not wish to see...

Sighing, she sat back against the wall of the dark cave. The light chilly wind coming from outside hit her straight on. It was rather refreshing to her in a way. If only this wind could just wash away all of her troubles. All of those memories she did not wish to remember. If only this wind could reverse time. That's what she had always wished for. A way to go back in time. A way to save her father and brother from their sickness. There must have been some way to cure them. And of course, a way to save her mother. If she had just listened to her that day, than maybe nothing would have happened. If only there was a way. But, she knew there was not. Magic was everywhere in her era. So called witches and wizards controlled it easily. If such a thing was true, would they not be the rulers of the world? They could not all be so kind-hearted as to never think of such evil thoughts. That much she knew was a fact. No matter how pure a person claimed to be, evil thoughts eventually filled their minds. Whether they carried out those thoughts or not was a different story however.And what if sorcery could reverse time.Were those events really that easy to reverse? Would she remember anything as she went back?

She closed her eyes and let the chilly wind consume her. She let it eat her alive in a way. Maybe she would just freeze this time? Freezing to death was not such a cruel way to die. She was sure it would not hurt. It would just be like a forever sleep. Her sleep was disrupted however. Coming in the direction of the cave, she heard footsteps. They were not all that clear through the howling of the wind, but she still heard them. It did not seem as if it was anything bad heading her way. The footsteps were cool and rhytmatic. They did not seem to be in any hurry to arrive its destination. Not even in a cold night like this one.

She stared outside the entrance to the cave. Heading straight towards her, she saw a silhouette. It seemed so familiar to her. Its almost as if she had seen it before, but she could not remember where. This image was almost completely erased from her mind. As the silhouette stepped into the light of the cave, Kagome started up at it. She blinked a few times as if to make sure she was seeing things clearly. It was that same demon from the previous night. The one with the long silver hair and maroon markings on the sides of his face. The one which she had no name for. Was he the one which had brought her here? Did he save her yet another time? And yet another question... why? Why was such a demon interested in a human girl like her? She noticed that in his hand he held a dead animal. What animal it was, she could not tell anymore.

She could only stare as the demon walked deeper into the cave. He took out his sword and slid it through the center of the animal as if it was just a worthless stick or something. Then, placing the sword with the animal above the fire, he just sat there as it cooked. Kagome watched speechless, unsure of what to say. Would it be alright to talk to him? After all, he was a demon. And one which she did not know. Still, now that she got a closer look at him, she had to admit he did seem very familiar. Maybe she had seen him before and just forgotten about it completely.How could she have forgotten him though? His bright golden eyes seemed so difficult for one to forget. Staring at him more closely, she noticed he also had maroon markings on his wrist.

They both sat in complete silence as the fire consumed the once living animal and cooked it.It's sweet aroma circulated within the cave. It reminded Kagome of how truly hungry she was. As the animal finished roasting, the demon pulled it and the sword out of the fire's reach. Then, cutting a large section of it out, he placed it upon a large leaf. He walked over to where kagome sat and handed it out to her. His golden eyes were locked on her blue ones. His expression was grim and un-emotional, as was his tone.

"Eat." That was the first thing Kagome had ever heard him say.

She stared up at him in wonder. She had no intention of taking this from him. How could she? She did not know if he had done anything to it. Then again, even if he was a demon, would it not be rude to not take his offering.

"Why did you bring me here?"

He stood still as she spoke to him with such strength. She did not seem to have any fear, or anything relating that towards him.Did she think of him as a weakling? Did she actually think he was doing this to just help her? It was decided. This girl truly was crazy. There was no doubt about it running through his mind.

"Eat." He repeated as if that was the only word which he knew.

"I do not need your pity demon.I simply wish to know why you brought me here. And, why you saved me the previous night."

His golden eyes stared down at her malevolentlyWhy could she not just take the meat and eat it like every other human did. He was sure that this is what they ate. He had witnessed it many times before. Maybe it was just not cooked right? _Nonsense._ He made it. It must have been made perfectly.

He sat the peace of meat in front of her and walked over towards the other side of the cave. He had no intentions what so ever to answer any of her questions. Who did this arrogant little girl think she was? Were it not for he, she would have been dead by now. She should be thanking him. Bowing down to him. But she did not, and this bothered him. It also pleased him however. She was just like _her_. She did not fear him. She was not afraid to talk back to him. He sat down against the wall and closed his eyes as if ready to go to sleep.

Kagome stared down at the food laid before her. Her stomach growled in hunger. It looked so good, and smelt all the much better. Deciding it was better to not let the food go to waste, she picked it up and bit into it.

Out of the corner of his eye, he stared at her as she began eating. A small grin appeared across his face but it was as quickly gone as it had come.

As she finished eating the last bit of meat, she felt much better than she had before. She felt stronger, more alive in away. She wanted to thank the demon, to at least show him some kind of gratitude. She resented however. He was kind to her, in a way, but... he was still a demon. She would never be able to forget that much.

Staring over at the demon, she was deciding whether he was asleep or not. His eyes were closed, but she had always heard demons never slept. And also, they were supposed to have really good hearing.

"I'm Kagome." She said.

She sat there and awaited a response from the demon, but there was none. The same silence as before surrounded the cold walls of the cave. Sighing, she laid back down on the floor with the animal fur. Realizing who the fur belonged to, she blushed. _It must be his._ She closed her eyes, awaiting for sleep to come.

"I'm Sesshoumaru." He replied to her.

Her eyes popped open and she looked over to where he sat. His expression had not changed and his eyes were still closed. Smiling, she turned back around and attempted to fall asleep once again. _Sesshoumaru..._ His name sounded familiar to her in a way.

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Sorry for taking such a long time updating TT things have been really complicated around here in the last few weeks. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this update.. There's still a lot more to come so stick around and review! Also, if you like this pairing...try reading my other story Blossoming Love.. Its been going on for quite a while now


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